A cup of entrepreneurship with… Wanda Reiff & Natascha Waeyen

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? We are Wanda Reiff and Natascha Waeyen. Wanda Reiff is a woman with experience of advice and mediation in art for over 40 years. She had contemporary art galleries in Maastricht and Amsterdam. Nowadays, her aim is always to connect the work of Limburg artist to work of artists known nationally and internationally. Natascha Waeyen graduated from the ABKM in Maastricht and the ECA in Edinburgh (Scotland). Ever since she works and lives as a visual artist in Maastricht.

What do you consider your distinctive achievement? In December 2015, together we took the initiative to organize “Kunstsymposium Oogsten”, starting from scratch. We liked the idea to bring female artists together for an “artists in residence” for a week at the “Plateau van Margraten”. The result will be presented in 4 weeks symposium, which will take place from 10th of April till the 17th of April with 13 great female Euregional artists, in the age of 26 till 89 years old.

We work together with the university of Maastricht, 4 BA students (University College Maastricht, Peers-project) and 4 ReMA students (University of Maastricht, CAST Joint Research Project) under the direction of Prof. Dr. Aagje Swinnen. The symposium will have a special focus on gender and aging. We’re happy to say we did it!

What are you looking forward too? We are looking forward to “Kunstsymposium Oogsten” and everyone is invited of course!

Which advice would you give to other professionals? If you have a great idea, don’t wait till someone comes to you, but do it yourself.

What are the challenges that we need to come to make about cultural entrepreneurship more accessible?

That’s a good question, we think it’s important to make connections with all kinds of people inside and outside the art fields. We try to do so by organizing this symposium. We connect by living, working, discussing, creating, eating and drinking together with people inside and outside the art-world. Hopefully many new collaborations arise!